The Twins Who Lived and the Chamber of Secrets
by Natural-Territory
Summary: Tabitha and Matilda Potter are in for an exciting second year at Hogwarts, and nothing will keep them away. However, there are in for an even more dangerous year than their first. Can they and their friends make it to their third year? Sequel to The Twins Who Lived and the Sorcerer's Stone. NOW EDITED
1. Dobby the House Elf

**A/N 7/11/13:Yes, I have FINALLY edited this story. All chapters will be up most likely within the hour. I am also re-editing The Twins Who Lived and the Sorcerer's Stone, just checking for inconsistonsies and minor errors. It's not necessary to re-read that, however. Thanks to all who like Tabitha and Matilda and have stuck with them even though their writer sucks :)**

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**If you haven't read The Twins Who Lived and the Sorcerer's Stone, this probably won't make sense, but feel free to read it anyway! ****If you forgot what happened or if you haven't read it, you'll be caught up in the first few chapters, so no worries.**

**Enjoy :)**

**(Oh, by the way I'm not JK Rowling...no matter how much I wish...)**

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Chapter 1: Dobby the House elf

The playground on Percale Street was filled with children, even though it was raining. Most of them were splashing in the puddles, sliding down the slides, all wearing raincoats, and some carrying umbrellas.

Two girls, however, weren't playing with the others. They sat in the play tunnel, keeping dry, as they didn't have raincoats like the others. The girls were completely identical; they had long black hair, square black glasses, brilliant green eyes, and each had a lightning-bolt shaped scar on their foreheads. They each wore an old leather jacket, a long sleeved gray shirt, and black pants. They looked like normal almost-twelve year old girls, but they weren't.

They carried wands, they went to a magic school during the year, and the scars on their foreheads linked them to the worst Dark wizard the magical world had ever seen. Their names were Tabitha Lillian Jamie Potter and Matilda Violet Alice Potter, and they were witches.

They had spent the last school year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. There, they had made several good friends, learned some magic, and saved a very special Stone from the very dark wizard who had tried to kill them: Lord Voldemort.

The two girls were currently looking at a photo album their friend Hagrid had given them. It was filled with pictures of their parents, but the girls' favorite part was at the end. There were about a dozen pictures of three children, all with black hair and bright green eyes, though two were obviously girls, as they wore dresses through most of the pictures, and another was obviously younger. Some of these showed their parents, holding them and smiling or playing with them, and the strangest thing was, _all the pictures moved._

Their favorite picture was one that showed three children – two toddlers and a baby boy – playing in a pile of fall-colored leaves on the ground while two adults sat on a bench in the background. These three children were Tabitha and Matilda with their baby brother, Harry; the other people were James and Lily Potter, their parents.

When Tabitha and Matilda were only one and a half years old, Voldemort had come to their house and killed their parents, James and Lily, and their baby brother, Harry. He had tried to kill them as well, but the curse backfired, for reasons no one knew, and Voldemort was nearly destroyed. Their first year at Hogwarts, he had attached himself to the back of their Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher's head and attempted to steal the Sorcerer's Stone, which would have made him immortal. The twins managed to stop him, but they knew it was just a matter of time before he tried to come back again.

They had only recently found out that they had a brother; Professor Quirrell, while hosting Lord Voldemort himself on the back of his head, had told them about Harry, and they had later asked Professor Dumbledore about it, and he told them that – in the pandemonium of Voldemort's disappearance and the girls' survival – their brother had been forgotten. Few people remembered they had had a sibling at all, but the girls told Dumbledore that they wanted people to know, and he said he'd take care of it, whatever that meant.

On a happier note, at Hogwarts they had made several friends; Hermione Granger, Ron Weasley, Euterpe Noble, Neville Longbottom, Aaric MacDonald, and Millie Bulstrode. Hermione was very smart and loved to read. Euterpe was very bright and loved learning as well, but slightly more willing to break rules if the situation called for it. Ron was a funny boy who loved to eat and had many other siblings in a family without much money. Neville lived with his grandmother and was very shy but quite good at Herbology and defensive magic. Aaric was a lot like Ron in personality, witty and loyal, but he only had a younger sister, Natalie, at home. Millie had originally been placed in Slytherin House, but had transferred during the middle of the year to Gryffindor.

Unfortunately for the twins, they lived with their Aunt Petunia, Uncle Vernon, and cousin Dudley while they weren't at Hogwarts.

The Dursleys despised magic, and the twins. They had attempted to lock all their school things away for the summer, which would have meant that the girls wouldn't be able to do any of their summer homework, but Tabitha and Matilda Potter were smart, and threatened to use magic on them if they did. Of course, they weren't permitted to use magic out of Hogwarts until they were seventeen, but the Dursleys didn't know that.

So, the girls had kept their trunks, their owl – Hedwig – and their pet sloths, Loch and Jack. They kept to their room most of the time, and – unlike previous years – were not locked in a cupboard, forced to cook and clean all the time, or nearly starved. They were able to do nearly whatever they wanted, such as going to the park, like today.

Tonight, however, their Aunt and Uncle were to have guests over; Mr. and Mrs. Mason, very important clients of their Uncle's, were joining them for dinner. Originally, Uncle Vernon had suggested that the girls stay up in their room all night, but Aunt Petunia had pointed out that if the Masons' found out about the girls, it might appear that they were being mistreated, so they would be attending the dinner party that night as well.

When Aunt Petunia demanded to know if they had any nice clothes, they thought it would be funny to show her their dress robes, which they had gotten the previous year. She was very upset; it _was_ funny. Then she moaned that she would have to buy them things – which would no doubt be hideous – but Matilda mercifully suggested that the girls buy them themselves; they had inherited a lot of money from their parents when they died. Luckily, Petunia agreed, and the girls bought some nice clothes in a nearby shop that morning. Now, they were biding their time before they went back home to shower and dress for dinner.

After Hogwarts, the Muggle world was quite boring. The two twins had been very excited to go back to Hogwarts…until today, at least.

Today was July 31. It was the day after Neville Longbottom's birthday, and the day of their birthday. They had not received a single letter, card, or gift from any of their eight closest friends, or Hagrid, and were very hurt. They had sent their owl, Hedwig, off with a card and a gift for Neville, but didn't receive so much as a thank you. Now that they though about it, they hadn't received a letter _at all _that summer. They had no idea what to think about all this, so they tried not to.

"It's six," Tabitha finally said. "We'd better get back."

The girls crawled out of the tunnel and began the three-block walk home. Both of them had their wands in their sleeves, in case of emergencies, but it seemed like nothing fun _ever_ happened in the Muggle world.

Privet Drive looked like it always did: perfect hedges, perfect lawn, perfect cars, and what-have-you. Nobody would guess that the two normal-looking girls were witches, and the Dursleys certainly wanted to keep it that way.

Once inside, the girls went straight upstairs and showered quickly, curling their black hair and making themselves as normal as possible. The Masons' needn't know that both of them carried wands in the side of their boots, or that they had two sloths and an owl – not to mention a trunk full of wizard robes and spell books – in their bedroom upstairs.

And at eight o' one precisely, the doorbell rang. Dudley answered, and Uncle Vernon led them into the lounge, where Aunt Petunia and the twins were waiting.

"Welcome, Mr. and Mrs. Mason," said Aunt Petunia. "I'm Petunia Dursley, and of course you've already met our son, Dudley,"

"Oh, yes, such a gentleman!" cried Mrs. Mason graciously. "Please, call me Beatrice."

"Yes, yes, none of that Mr. stuff," smiled Mr. Mason, "I insist that you call me Bernard."

Everyone sat down on the couches.

"Oh, hello," said Beatrice, looking at the girls. "What are your names?"

"I'm Tabitha Potter, and this is my sister, Matilda." said Tabitha before Uncle Vernon could answer.

"Yes, these…lovely girls are our nieces." Said Aunt Petunia, obviously with great difficulty. "We took them in after the tragic death of their mother and father."

"And our brother," piped up Matilda.

Uncle Vernon started to glare at them, but then seemed to think better of it.

"Yes, that's right…they were killed in their home by some mad-man…" he said thickly, obviously trying to demonstrate how caring he was.

Beatrice clapped a hand to her heart, looking tearful.

"Little Harvey was only an infant too," said Petunia, catching on.

"Harry." said Tabitha automatically.

"Harry, yes…" Petunia blew her nose. "We don't really have the space for everyone…been trying to get a bigger house…But oh well…they say all you need is love, isn't that right?"

The twins felt like they had stepped into an alternative universe. Dudley looked as shocked as they felt.

During dinner, it became clear that their Aunt and Uncle had decided to use the girls' 'tragic' story to put up a front of kind, caring relatives. The girls didn't mind that much, as the Dursleys were now being nice as could be to them, though with noticeable strain.

While they were sitting in the living room before desert, they heard Hedwig making a racket upstairs.

A vein in Uncle Vernon's head throbbed as her turned to the twins.

"Girls, kindly go see what is bothering your…bird," he said silkily.

"Yes, Uncle Vernon," they answered sweetly, and left.

Once they had closed the lounge door, they burst into giggles.

"Can you believe that?" gasped Matilda in a whisper.

"It so strange!"

"Maybe we should bring up the fact that it's our birthday." suggested Matilda as they ascended the stairs.

"Yeah, they might run out and buy us something just to impress the Masons'!"

"I wonder – _what the–?"_

The girls had just entered their room, and low and behold, there was a house elf on Tabitha's bed. The tiny creature had large, bat-like ears and bulging green eyes the size of tennis balls. As soon as it saw them, it hopped of the bed and bowed so low that the end of its nose touched the carpet. The girls noticed that it was wearing what looked like a pillowcase, with rips for arm and leg holes.

"Er – hello…" said Matilda nervously.

"Tabitha and Matilda Potter!" said the creature in the high-pitched voice of a House elf, which the twins knew would carry down the stairs. "So long has Dobby wanted to meet you, Miss…such an honor it is…"

"Thank you," said Matilda, and the girls edged along the wall to sit on her bed. "Who are you?"

"Dobby, Miss. Just Dobby. Dobby the House-elf."

"Did Euterpe send you?" asked Tabitha hopefully, though she knew it probably wouldn't be true. The Noble's took very good care of their House-elves; Dobby was filthy.

Dobby shook his head, causing his ears to flop to and fro.

"Not to be rude…but this isn't a good time for us to have a house elf in our bedroom," said Matilda.

The elf hung his head.

"Not that we aren't pleased to meet you," Tabitha said hurriedly. "But is there any particular reason why you're here?"

"Oh, yes, Miss," said Dobby earnestly. "Dobby has come to tell you, Miss…it is difficult, Miss…Dobby wonders where to begin…"

"Why don't you sit down?" invited Matilda politely.

To their horror, Dobby burst into tears – very noisy tears.

"_S-sit down_!"he wailed,"_Never…never ever…_"

The voices downstairs faltered.

"I'm sorry," said Matilda, "I didn't mean to offend you or anything–"

"Offend Dobby!" the elf choked. "Dobby has _never _been asked to sit down by a witch or wizard…like an _equal_–"

The girls, trying to say "Shh!" and looked comforting at the same time, ushered Dobby back onto Tabitha's bed where he sat hiccoughing, looking like a large and ugly doll. At last he managed to control himself, and sat with his great eyes fixed on the girls opposite in an expression of watery adoration.

"You can't have met many decent wizards," said Tabitha, trying to cheer him up.

Dobby shook his head. Then, without warning, he leapt up and started banging his head on the window, shouting, "Bad Dobby! Bad Dobby!"

"Don't – what are you doing?" Matilda hissed, jumping up and pulling Dobby back onto the bed.

"Dobby had to punish himself, Miss." Said the elf, who had gone slightly cross-eyed. "Dobby almost spoke ill of his family, Miss…"

The twins, who were familiar with the laws of house-elves, having met a few at their friend Euterpe's house, nodded, but protested that Dobby needn't hurt himself to do it. At this, Dobby launched into admiration of the girls' 'greatness', which they protested, saying they weren't even top of their year at Hogwarts; their friends Hermione and Euterpe (followed by Terry Boot, a Ravenclaw whom Tabitha had a slight crush on) were, but mentioning them made the twins' stomachs hurt.

"The Potters' are most humble and modest," Dobby said, now reverently. "They speak not of their triumph over He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named…"

"Voldemort?" Tabitha said.

Dobby clasped his hands over his ears and moaned, "Ah, speak not the name, Miss! Speak not the name!"

"Sorry," said Tabitha. "I know a lot of people don't like it. Our friend Ron–"

But she stopped, because talking about Ron was painful too.

Dobby leaned toward the girls, his eyes as wide as headlights.

"Dobby heard that Tabitha and Matilda Potter met the Dark Lord for a second time, just weeks ago…that they escaped _again_…"

The girls nodded, and Dobby's eyes suddenly shown with tears.

"Ah, Miss," he dabbed at his eyes with part of his grubby pillowcase. "Tabitha and Matilda Potter are valiant and bold! They have braved so many dangers already! But Dobby has come to protect Tabitha Potter and Matilda Potter, to warn them, even if he does have to shut his ears in the over door later…_Tabitha and Matilda Potter must not go back to Hogwarts_."

There was a silence broken only by the chink of silverware downstairs.

"W-what?" Matilda stuttered.

"But we've got to go back, terms starts on September first–"

"It's all that's keeping us going!"

"You don't know what it's like here!"

"We don't belong here!"

"We belong in your world – at Hogwarts!"

"No, no, no," said Dobby, shaking his head so hard that his ears flapped. "The Potters' must stay where they are safe! They are too great, too good to lose! If Tabitha Potter and Matilda Potter go back to Hogwarts, they will be in mortal danger!"

"Why?" they asked in surprise.

"There is a plot, Miss's, a plot to make most terrible things happen at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry this year." Whispered Dobby, suddenly trembling.

"What terrible things?" Demanded Matilda.

"Who's plotting them?" Echoed her twin.

Dobby made a choking noise and banged his head against the wall.

"All right!" cried Matilda. "You can't tell us, we understand!"

"But why are you warning _us_?" Asked Tabitha.

Then a sudden, unpleasant thought struck them.

"Hang on," said Matilda, "This doesn't have anything to do with Vol – sorry…with You-Know-Who, has it?"

"You could just shake or nod," added Tabitha hurriedly, as Dobby's head tilted towards the wall again.

Dobby shook his head slowly.

"Not – not _He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, _Miss–"

But Dobby's eyes were wide. He seemed to be trying to give them a hint. The twins, however, were lost.

"He hasn't got a brother has he?"

Dobby shook his head, eyes wider than ever.

"Well then, I can't think who else would have a chance of making terrible things happen at Hogwarts," said Matilda thoughtfully.

"I mean, there's Dumbledore, for one thing – you know who Dumbledore is, don't you?"

Dobby bowed his head.

"Albus Dumbledore is the greatest Headmaster Hogwarts has ever had. Dobby knows it, Miss. Dobby has heard Dumbledore's powers rival that of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named at the height of his strength. But Miss," –Dobby's voice dropped to an urgent whisper– "there are powers Dumbledore doesn't…powers no decent wizard…"

And before they could stop him, Dobby seized the girls' desk lamp and started beating himself over the head with earsplitting yelps.

A sudden silence fell downstairs. Two seconds later, they heard Uncle Vernon coming into the halls, calling, "Dudley must have left his television on again, the little tyke!"

"Quick! In the closet!" Cried Matilda, stuffing Dobby in and they both flung themselves onto their beds just as the door flew open.

"What the _devil _are you two doing?" Demanded Uncle Vernon through gritted teeth. "You two have been up here for half and hour already! The Masons' are eating up your _tragic orphan_ story, and we need you back out there!"

"Sorry Uncle Vernon, we'll just give them some treats so they'll be quiet–"

"– and be right down." Promised the girls.

He glared at them, but left.

"Dobby, we have to go back downstairs," Said Tabitha, letting the elf out of the closet. "Maybe you could come back later…"

Dobby shook his head.

"It was difficult enough for Dobby to get away today, Miss." Dobby said sadly. "I only wished to ask Tabitha and Matilda Potter to stay home this year, for their own good!"

"Dobby, we can't!" Said Matilda.

"Yeah, Hogwarts is the only place we belong, the only place we have…well, we _think _we have friends…"

"Friends who don't even _write _to the Potters?" Asked Dobby slyly.

"We expect they've…just been…" Matilda's voice trailed off in confusion.

"Hang on," Said Tabitha slowly, "How did you know our friends haven't been writing to us?"

"Miss mustn't be angry with Dobby – Dobby did it for the best…"

"_Have you been stopping our letters_?" the twins demanded.

"Dobby has them here, Miss." Said the elf, reaching inside his pillowcase and pulling out dozens of letters. They recognized the familiar writing of Hermione Granger, Ron Weasley, Millie Bulstrode, Euterpe Noble, Neville Longbottom, and Aaric MacDonald, and several that looked to be from the Hogwarts gamekeeper, Hagrid, and the Muggle Studies teacher, Charity.

Dobby blinked anxiously at the girls.

"Tabitha and Matilda Potter mustn't be angry with Dobby – Dobby thought that…if they thought their friends didn't like them anymore…they might not want to go back to Hogwarts…"

Tabitha made a grab for the letters, but Dobby jumped out of reach.

"The Potters will have them, Miss, if they gives Dobby their words that they will not return to Hogwarts! Ah, Miss, this is a danger you mustn't face! Say you will not go back!"

"No," said Matilda angrily. "Give us our friends' letters!"

"Then the Potters leave Dobby no choice…" The elf said sadly, and disappeared with a snap of his fingers.

The girls looked at each other in complete confusion.

"Girls!" Aunt Petunia called from downstairs; she was using an overly sweet voice, so the Masons' must still be there.

Quickly, the two ran down the stairs.

"Ah, there you two are!" cried Uncle Vernon jovially.

"Would you two mind fetching the pudding from the kitchen for your auntie?" asked Aunt Petunia sweetly.

"We'd be glad to, Aunt Petunia." Said Matilda, smiling, and they went into the kitchen.

This time, they could not hold back a scream.

It looked as if a tornado had struck the kitchen.

There were broken pots and pans and dishes everywhere; the cupboards had been emptied completely, everything thrown around and dented or broke. And the pudding – a beautiful mound of whipped cream topped with sugared violets – looked to have exploded everywhere.

And in the corner of the kitchen was Dobby. He winked at the girls, before snapping his long fingers at the approaching footsteps and disappearing in a puff of smoke.

It didn't matter how much the girls told their Aunt and Uncle that it wasn't their fault, and that there was _literally _no way they could have done it; they still got in trouble. To make matters worse, the Ministry had sent them a letter warning against doing magic outside school.

The letter landed on Mrs. Mason's head, and she screamed and ran out of the house. Her husband explained that she was mortally afraid of birds, and asked the Dursleys if this was their idea of a joke.

The next day, Uncle Vernon paid a man to fit bars on the twins' bedroom window. He added about a dozen locks to their door, and fitted a cat flap in the bottom so that small amounts of food could be pushed through three times a day. The twins were let out to use the bathroom in the morning and evening. Otherwise, they were locked in their room around the clock.

"There has to be something we can do!" Matilda finally cried out in frustration three days later.

"Well, we know that if we don't show up for school, someone will come get us," reminded her twin.

"Yes, but we'll probably starve before then!" moaned Matilda, flopping down on her bed.

Suddenly she sprang up, "Ow!" she cried, picking up the thick patchwork journal she had sat on.

"That's it!" cried Tabitha, jumping up as well.

"What's it?" asked Matilda, completely blank.

"The journals! We write to the others!" Tabitha said, grabbing a quill off of the desk and picking up her journal. Euterpe had given all of her friends and a few of their acquaintances these magical journals that they could use to write messages to each other.

"Of course! Why didn't we think of that before?" Matilda agreed excitedly, sitting next to her sister and pushing up her glasses.

There were at least three dozen messages from all their friends, asking where they were, why they hadn't wrote, and if they were okay.

The girls grinned at each other. They _hadn't _forgotten about them!

Tabitha quickly inked her quill and wrote:

_Everyone: We're all right_…_well, we're alive anyway. There was this_…_incident, and the Dursleys locked us in our room. They had bars put on the windows and are barely feeding us, Loch and Jack and Hedwig are locked in their cages, and they're saying we can't go back to Hogwarts!_

It took less than a minute for answers to appear.

_Oh my goodness! That's terrible! I thought Dumbledore wrote them about doing things like that!_Wrote Hermione.

_Don__'__t worry;, I__'__ll talk to my grandmother right now about getting you two out. They won__'__t be able to stop an adult wizard!_Came Euterpe's handwriting seconds later.

Then was Ron: _No way! Those guys are real jerks_…_don't worry, me and Ginny will work with the twins and figure something out._

The two twins were very touched by their friends' words, and thanked them.

The next second, the cat-flap rattled, and Aunt Petunia pushed two cans of soup through the opening. The twins, whose insides were aching with hunger, grabbed their cans and swallowed half in one gulp, even though it was stone cold and not watered down like it was supposed to be. When they finished, they tipped the soggy vegetables into Hedwig's, Loch's, and Jack's bowls. Jack wrinkled his nose, and Hedwig hooted indignantly.

"Sorry, but it's all we have," said Matilda grimly.

They put the empty cans back on the floor by the cat flap and laid down on their beds, feeling hungrier than before.

Wondering how long they would last on meals like this, the girls fell into an uneasy sleep.


	2. The Burrow and Godric's Hollow

**If you read The Twins Who Lived and the Sorcerer's Stone, you'll remember that in the last chapter, the twins asked Dumbledore if they could one day visit the graves of their parents and brother, and he said yes. I've always wondered why Harry never asked that, perhaps he just didn't want to, or didn't think he could, but Tabitha and Matilda are - in case you haven't noticed - a little different from their brother.**

**Anyway, please review! I'll give you virtual cookies... :)**

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Chapter 2: The Burrow And Godric's Hollow

Tabitha and Matilda woke up to a loud rattling sound coming from their window.

Matilda reached for her glasses, while Tabitha fumbled for hers and lost them in her blanket.

Matilda suddenly gasped, "_Ron_?"

"What? Who is it? Did you say Ron?" gasped Tabitha, finally locating the square black spectacles.

She gasped as she looked at the window, seeing the red-haired boy peering in from behind the bars. The girls jumped up and went to the window, pushing it open so they could talk through the bars.

"Ron – how did you–?"

"What in the world–?"

The triplet's mouths fell open as they realized what they were seeing. Ron was leaning out the back window of an old turquoise car, which was parked _in midair. _Grinning at the girls from the front seats were Fred and George, Ron's older twin brothers.

"All right, you two?" asked George.

"What's been going on?" Ron said, "Why haven't you been answering anyone's letters? I mean, until last night, no one had heard anything, and then dad came home and said you'd gotten official warnings for using magic in front of Muggles–"

"It wasn't us – wait, how did he know?"

"He works at the Ministry." answered Ron. "You _know _we're not supposed to do spells outside school–"

"You should talk," Matilda said, staring at the floating car.

"Oh, this doesn't count," Ron said quickly. "We're borrowing it from dad, _he _enchanted it. But doing magic in front of those Muggles you live with–"

"We told you, we didn't!"

"It'll take too long to explain now," said Tabitha hurriedly, "Look, can you tell them at Hogwarts that the Dursleys have locked us up in here and–"

"Stop gibbering," Ron interrupted with a grin. "We've come to take you home with us."

"But you can't magick us out either–"

"We don't need to," Ron said, jerking his head toward the front seat and grinning. "You forgot who I've got with me."

"Tie that around the bars." grinned Fred, throwing the end of a rope to Matilda.

"If the Dursleys wake up, we're dead." said Tabitha, as her sister tied the rope around the bars and Fred revved up the car.

"Don't worry," Fred said, "And stand back."

They moved back into the shadows next to Hedwig, Loch, and Jack. The car revved louder and louder and suddenly, with a crunching noise, the bars were pulled clean off the window as Fred drove straight up into the air. The two twins ran to the window to see the bars dangling a few feet above the ground. Panting, Ron hoisted them up into the car. Tabitha and Matilda listened carefully, but there was only silence from the Dursleys' bedroom.

Fred reversed as far as he could, while Ron said, "Hurry – get your things and get in!"

They rushed around the room throwing books, homework, parchment, clothes, quills, and so on into their trunks, then George got out to help them push everything in, while Fred and Ron pulled. It took awhile, as the trunks were heavy, but with one last heave, they slid the trunks onto the seat. Taking a second to grab Lefty and Jack, the girls started to climb in, only to be interrupted by a loud hoot.

"We've forgotten Hedwig!" cried Matilda.

Then came Uncle Vernon's thundering voice, "THAT RUDDY BIRD!"

Tabitha jumped off the dresser and grabbed the snowy owl's cage just as Uncle Vernon banged on the door and it burst open.

The black haired girl didn't waste any time; she ran to the window and handed the cage to Matilda. Meanwhile, Uncle Vernon un-froze, from the sudden shock of seeing them getting into _a flying car_, of all things.

"PETUNIA! PETUNIA, THEY'RE ESCAPING!" He roared, grabbing onto Tabitha's ankle. Ron and Matilda managed to pull her free, and Fred drove.

Matilda rolled down the window.

"See you next summer!"

The Weasleys roared with laughter and the girls settled back into their seats, grinning from ear to ear.

"Let Hedwig out," Matilda told Ron, "She can fly behind us. She hasn't been flying in ages."

George handed Ron a hairpin and, a moment later, Hedwig soared joyfully out of the window to glide alongside them like a ghost.

"So – what's the story?" Ron said impatiently. "What's been happening?"

The two twins told them all about Dobby, his warning, and the pudding incident. There was a long, shocked silence when they finished.

"Very fishy," said Fred when they finished.

"Definitely dodgy," George agreed. "So he wouldn't even tell you who's supposed to be planning all this stuff?"

"I don't think he could." said Tabitha, "We told you, every time he got close to letting something slip, he started banging his head on the wall."

They spent the rest of the drive discussing who Dobby could have belonged to. They thought that it could have been Malfoy or Nott who sent him, just to torture the girls, but the next thing they knew, they were landing next to a tumbledown garage.

The house looked as if it had once been a large stone pigpen, but extra rooms had been added here and there until it was several stories high and so crooked it looked as though it was held up by magic (which, the twins reminded themselves, it probably was). Four or five chimneys were perched in various places on top of the red roof. A lopsided sign stuck in the ground near the entrance read THE BURROW. Around the front door lay a jumble of rubber boots and a very rusty cauldron. Several fat brown chickens were pecking their way around the yard.

"It's not much," Ron said, slightly red.

"It's _wonderful," _grinned both girls happily, thinking of Privet Drive's identical houses.

They got out of the car.

"Now, we'll go upstairs really quietly," said Fred, "and wait for mum to call us for breakfast. Then, Ron, you come bounding downstairs going, 'Mum, look who turned up in the night!' and she'll be all pleased to see Tabitha and Matilda and no one need ever know we flew the car."

"Right," said Ron, "But where are they going to sle–?"

Ron had gone a nasty green color, his eyes fixed on the house. The other four wheeled around.

Mrs. Weasley was marching across the yard, scattering chickens, and for a short, plump, kind-faced woman, it was remarkable how much she resembled a saber-toothed tiger.

"_Ah,_"said Fred.

"Oh dear," said George.

Mrs. Weasley came to a halt in front of them her hands on her hips, looking from one guilty face to the next. She wore a flowered apron with a wand sticking out of one of the many pockets.

"_So_,"she said.

"Morning, mum," said George, in what he clearly thought was a jaunty, winning voice.

"Have you any idea how worried I've been?" Mrs. Weasley said in a deadly whisper.

"Sorry, mum, but see, we had to–"

All three of Mrs. Weasley's sons were taller than she was, but they all cowered as her rage broke over them.

"_Beds empty! No note! Car gone – could have crashed – out of my mind with worry – did you care? – never, as long as I've lived - you wait until your father gets home, we never had trouble like this with Bill or Charlie or Percy_–"

"Perfect Percy," muttered Fred.

"YOU COULD DO WITH TAKING A LEAF OUT OF PERCY'S BOOK!" yelled Mrs. Weasley, prodding a finger in Fred's chest. "You could have died, you could have been _seen_, you could have lost your father his _job_–"

It seemed to go on for hours. Mrs. Weasley had shouted herself hoarse before she turned to Tabitha and Matilda, who backed away slightly.

"I'm very pleased to see you two, dears," she said, "Come in and have some breakfast."

She turned and started back towards the house and the twins, after a nervous glance at Ron, followed.

The kitchen was small and rather cramped, with a scrubbed wooden table and chairs in the middle, and Tabitha and Matilda sat down on the edge of their seats, looking around.

The Weasleys' house was nothing like the other wizard homes they had been in – Euterpe's grandmother's house, which was a mansion – or Charity Burbage's home, which was a modest two-story very similar to a Muggle home. There was a very interesting clock, several wizard cookbooks, and the wireless in the corner was playing Celestina Warbeck.

Mrs. Weasley cooked breakfast quickly, though she threw dirty looks at her sons every few seconds while mumbling stuff under her breath.

"I don't blame _you two _of course," She assured the girls, tipping eight or nine sausages onto each of their plates. "Arthur and I have been worried about you, as well. Just last night we were saying we'd come and get you ourselves if you hadn't written back to Ron by Friday. But really," (she was now adding three fried eggs to each plate) "flying an illegal car halfway across the country – anyone could have seen you–"

She flicked her wand at the dishes, which began to clean themselves.

"It was _cloudy_,mum!" Fred cried.

"You keep your mouth closed while you're eating!" snapped Mrs. Weasley.

"They were starving them, mum!" George said.

"And you!" Mrs. Weasley said, but it was with a slightly softened expression that she started cutting and buttering bread for the girls.

Suddenly, something small with bright red hair appeared.

"Tabitha! Matilda!" cried Ginny, running forward to hug them. "When did you get here?" She asked suspiciously.

"Just now actually, dear," answered Mrs. Weasley testily.

"But–" Ginny started, looking confused, but Mrs. Weasley sat her down next to the twins and started to pile food on her plate.

Ron, Fred, and George were punished for the flying car escapade by having to de-gnome the garden, and the girls offered to help. They caught and threw the stumpy creatures until all of them were gone, then went inside to find Mr. Weasley at the table. He told them about the raids that day at the Ministry, and about some shrinking keys wizards were selling to Muggles. He mentioned that wizards enchant tons of things they shouldn't, and Mrs. Weasley exploded.

"LIKE CARS, FOR INSTANCE?"

"C-cars, Molly, dear?"

"Yes, Arthur, cars," said Mrs. Weasley, her eyes flashing. "Imagine a wizard buying a rusty old car, and telling his wife all he wanted to do with it was take it apart and see how it works, while _really _he was enchanting it to make it _fly."_

Mr. Weasley stuttered that he was within the law to do it, as long as he wasn't intending to use it. Mrs. Weasley countered that he made sure there was a loophole when he wrote that law.

"And for your information, Tabitha and Matilda Potter arrived this morning in the car you weren't intending to fly!" she added furiously.

"Tabitha and Matilda?" he asked blankly. "Who–?"

He looked around, saw the girls, and jumped.

"Good lord, is it the Potters? Very pleased to meet you, Ron and Ginny have told us so much–"

"_Your sons flew that car to Surrey and back to get them last night_!" shouted Mrs. Weasley. "What have you got to say to that, eh?"

"Did you really?" Mr. Weasley said eagerly. "Did it go all right? I – I mean," He faltered as sparks flew from Mrs. Weasley's eyes, "that – that was very wrong, boys – very wrong indeed…."

"Let's leave them to it," Ron whispered to the girls, as Mrs. Weasley swelled like a bullfrog. "Come on, I'll show you my room."

They, along with Ginny, Fred, and George, walked up the uneven staircase to the very top, and stopped at a door with a plaque that read RONALD'S ROOM.

Everything was bright orange, in honor of Ron's favorite Quidditch team, the Chudley Cannons. There was a tank full of frog spawn on a table, and next to it was Scabbers, Ron's rat. The girls stepped over a pack of Self-Shuffling Playing Cards to look out the window where they could see the gnomes sneaking one by one back through the hedge. Ron was looking at them nervously, as though waiting for their opinion.

"It's a bit small," said Ron quickly, "Not like that room you had with the Muggles. And I'm right underneath the ghoul in the attic. He's always banging the pipes and groaning…"

But the twins just grinned widely, "This is the best house we've ever been in."

Ron turned pink.

As it would have been improper for the two girls to stay with Ron, they shared Ginny's room, sleeping on surprisingly comfortable cots. Ginny was wonderful, the girls thought; sarcastic and witty, the eleven year old was easily able to keep up with her brothers. Indeed, she occasionally gave Fred and George a run for their money.

A few days after the girls arrived, Luna Lovegood – of friend of Ginny's and one of Charity's daughters (Faith) who lived on a hill nearby – came to stay as well, and so did Millie Bulstrode and Aaric MacDonald.

Millie, a chubby girl with curly brown hair, had been re-sorted from her place in Slytherin in their first year, and had quickly won the hearts of the two twins and their friends due to her kindness, protectiveness, and humor. Millie was an only child, and a pure-blood. Her grandparents had been very unhappy with her re-sorting, especially since she ended up in Gryffindor, and though her parents approved, Millie thought it would be better to be far away, and was very happy when Ron invited her to stay.

Aaric shared Ron's room, while Ginny and Luna stayed in Ginny's room, and the twins and Millie used one of the spare rooms that had formerly belonged to Bill Weasley.

They spent a lot of time the first week playing four-on-four Quidditch and wizard games like chess and exploding snap. Mrs. Weasley fussed over the state of the twins' clothes and tried to force them to eat three helpings every meal. Mr. Weasley liked the girls to sit next to him at meals so he could question them about Muggle things.

The next Monday, however, a note came for Mrs. Weasley at the same time that their Hogwarts letters came.

After breakfast, she pulled the girls aside.

"Professor Dumbledore wrote," she explained, "He says you two wanted to visit Godric's Hollow?"

They nodded excitedly. They had mentioned wanting to see their parent's and brother's graves and their old home to the headmaster at the end of last year.

Mrs. Weasley smiled.

"Well, how would you like to do that today?" she asked.

The girls' faces lit up.

"Really?" Matilda asked.

"Of course, dears," she said, "Professor Dumbledore has arranged a Portkey for us; it will leave around eleven."

Luckily for the twins, Fred, George, and Percy decided to stay home. They were grateful for this, as they weren't as close to those particular Weasleys, though they liked them – especially the twins – a lot. Ron, Ginny, Aaric, Luna, and Millie said they would go at the girls' request.

At ten fifty-eight exactly, the seven children and Mrs. Weasley grabbed onto the silver hairbrush that was their Portkey and waited.

"So…what exactly is going to happen?" asked Tabitha nervously.

"Oh, it's nothing to worry about," assured Luna. "Just as long as the Qwertys don't get a hold of you."

Everyone turned to the blond girl.

"The what?" chorused seven voices.

"Qwertys." Answered Luna in her dreamy voice. "They're creatures that live in the space we go when we use Portkeys. They grab unsuspecting travelers and pull them off into the Unknown."

Ron, Aaric, Ginny, and Millie were trying to stifle laughter at this, but Tabitha and Matilda were very concerned with this new piece of information. Mrs. Weasley cleared her throat loudly.

"Here we go," She said, looking at a clock. "Three, two, one…"

Abruptly the two twins felt like a hook was jerked somewhere behind their navels, and they were being pulled forward, faster and faster, bumping into Millie and Luna on either side of them, until at last they smacked hard into the ground, all of them falling over each other in the confusion.

"Ah, yes. Perfect." said Mrs. Weasley, standing up.

An old looking, wrought iron sign stood in front of them. It read: GODRIC'S HOLLOW written in red and gold calligraphy.

"Speak for yourself," muttered Ron, pushing a laughing Aaric off of himself and standing up, rubbing his arm.

"This way," called Mrs. Weasley, and they followed her.

The girls knew that Godric's Hollow was a mixture of Muggles and wizards, so it didn't surprise them to see cloaks and robes mixing with 'normal' things. Cottages lined either side of the street, and the girls looked in every direction, soaking up the place that had once been their home. It was all very vaguely familiar.

The life they could have had had never seemed so real to them as it did now. If Voldemort hadn't come that night and killed their family, their mother and father would have made their twelfth birthday cake, and they could have been sharing it with their brother…they may have even had more siblings.

Suddenly, Millie gasped.

Everyone turned to see what had looked like a war memorial, but had transformed into a statue of five people: a man with untidy hair and glasses, a woman with long hair and a kind, pretty face, two identical baby girls, and a younger baby boy with his father's hair.

The two twins stared for awhile at it, wishing they had a camera, then followed to others to the small church.

There was a kissing gate at the entrance to the graveyard. Mrs. Weasley opened it and led the way through.

"They're just – just over there, dears," she said, pointing, and she and the others wandered away, examining the other gravestones and giving the girls some privacy.

It was made of white marble.

_James Potter_

_Born 27 March 1960_

_Died 31 October 1981_

_Lily Potter_

_Born 30 January 1960_

_Died 31 October 1981_

**_The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death._**

And right beside it was a slightly smaller headstone with an angel on top, this one with two quotes.

_And their son_

_Harry Potter_

_Born 17 May 1981_

_Died 31 October 1981_

**_He spake well that said graves are the footprints of angels._**

**_Sweet is the voice of a sister in the season of sorrow._**

The girls sat down on the grass, their arms around each other. Their parents and baby brother were near them now, physically and spiritually, and they thought that qualified a moment to itself.

The twins now knew that the Fidelius Charm had died out with James and Lily. The hedge had grown wild in the eleven years since Hagrid had taken them from the rubble that lay scattered amongst the waist-high grass. Most of the cottage was still standing, though entirely covered in dark ivy and leaves, but the right side of the top floor had been blown apart; that, the twins were sure, was were the curse had backfired.

"I wonder why no one's ever rebuilt it?" Ginny said.

"Maybe you can't," suggested Matilda. "Maybe it's a Dark Magic thing, and you can't repair the damage."

As the girls reached out to touch the gate, a sign rose out of the ground.

**On this spot, on the night of 31 October 1981,**

**Lily, James and Harry Potter lost their lives.**

**Lily and James's daughters, Tabitha and Matilda, **

**The older sisters of Harry, remain the only people**

**To have survived the Killing Curse.**

**This house, invisible to Muggles, has been left **

**In its ruined state as a monument to the Potters**

**And as a reminder of the violence that tore **

**Apart their family.**

And all around these neatly lettered words were scribbles added by other witches and wizards. They had carved their initials in the wood and signed their names in Everlasting Ink to mark the time they had come to see the place where the Girls Who Lived had escaped.

"You know," said Mrs. Weasley gently, coming up behind them. "The house is held together by magic…" She winked at the girls.

"Do you mean…"

"Could we go in?"

"It is your house," She reminded them.

The gate was rusted shut and held down by overgrown weeds, but the girls simply climbed over it and walked through the wild yard to the front door. It was red, or at least they thought it was, because it had been blown off its hinges and the paint was peeling off. Someone had obviously put a charm on the house to keep it in good shape, because the red sofa and chairs were simply faded with age, not from the elements. There was a playpen near the front door, and the girls knew this was where their brother had been killed.

There were pictures everywhere, wizard pictures, and the girls shared a look before picking up all the photographs they could find, and tucked knick-knacks and anything small enough into their pockets and their shirts. It was their house, they reasoned, and no one had been in here since that day anyway. They had a right to the items.

They walked silently through the living room and kitchen, their arms around each other yet again, not speaking, and picking up all the small things they saw.

They headed up the stairs and went into what must have been Harry's room, then their parent's room, and then…

The roof was caved in on the right side, but on the other were three cribs. Though they were badly burned, the twins could tell that one had had dark blue sheets, and one dark purple.


	3. Florish and Blotts

**This chapter is dedicated to SkyLily13 for demanding that I update now :D So I stayed up till almost three, and now you guys get two chapters combined to make one longish chapter :D **

**This chapter and the next were originally combined into one, but I thought that was stupid and changed it. This chapter is short, but oh well. And I have to admit, I particularly like this because of what happens in the first section (hint: it involves money) **

**This story follows mostly the same timeline as the books, if you haven't noticed, and some stuff is directly from the books, because i thought it was important. Don't like? You don't have to read it.**

**Yay for an update!**

* * *

Chapter 3: Florish And Blotts

The next day, everyone went to Diagon Alley via Floo powder to get their school books.

First the twins went with the Weasleys to Gringotts to get some money. The girls watched sadly as Mrs. Weasley scrapped a couple of sickles and Knuts into her bag, and only one galleon. At their vault, the girls tried to hide their large pile of gold as they shoved coins into their bags.

As they headed out, however, Matilda thought of something. She whispered quickly to her sister and, while the Weasleys were busy talking to the Drs. Granger, they snuck over to one of the goblins.

Everyone left a few minutes later, but a goblin called Mrs. Weasley back in, saying he needed to check something regarding her vault.

She caught up with them in a few minutes, her pouch now much heavier, and she was crying hysterically. They managed to get it out of her that an anonymous source had just transferred six hundred galleons to their vault.

Finally, they were in Florish and Blotts. The Weasleys had purchased Ginny a new wand and all their kids' got new robes, and Mrs. Weasley was now itching to get Gilderoy Lockhart's autograph. Unfortunately, Lockhart spotted Tabitha and Matilda, and cried, "It can't be the Girls Who Lived!"

The crowd parted, whispering excitedly; Lockhart dived forward, seized one of the girl's arms in each of his, and pulled them to the front. The crowd burst into applause, and the girls felt themselves blush in embarrassment as Lockhart shook their hands for the photographer, who was clicking away madly, wafting thick smoke over the Weasleys.

"Nice big smiles, girls," said Lockhart, through his own gleaming teeth. "Together, you and I are worth the front page."

When he finally let go of their hands, Tabitha and Matilda could barely feel their fingers. They tried to sneak back over to the Weasleys, Aaric, Luna, and Millie, but Lockhart wrapped an arm around either of them and clamped them tightly to his sides.

"Ladies and gentlemen!" he said loudly, waving for quiet, "What an extraordinary moment this is! The perfect moment for me to make a little announcement I've been sitting on for some time! When young Tabitha and Matilda here stepped into Flourish and Blotts today, they only wanted to buy my autobiography, Magical Me – which I happily present to them now, free of charge–" the crowd applauded again. "They had _no idea_," he continued, giving the girls a little shake that made their glasses slip to the ends of their noses, "that they would shortly be getting much, much more than my book. They and their schoolmates will, in fact, be getting the real magical me. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, I have great pleasure and pride in announcing that this September, I will be taking up the post of Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry!"

The crowd cheered and clapped and the twins found themselves being presented with large piles of new books; all of Gilderoy Lockhart's books. Staggering slightly under their weight, the girls stumbled out of the limelight and to the side of the room where Dubhlainn Moon, a boy they had met at the Post-Christmas Party last year, was sitting next to three little girls: one with orange braids, one with short, wispy orange hair, and the last with short bright orange hair. Dubhlainn was a Muggle born, and they knew he didn't have much money, so they dumped the books in his cauldron.

"You have these," Matilda said. "We'll buy our own."

Dubhlainn grinned.

"Thanks," he said, then with a glance at the three girls next to him, added, "Tabitha, Matilda, these are my sisters, Teagan–" he indicated the one with wispy hair, who looked to be about four, "Aibhlinn," he pronounced her name Av-lean, and the girl with the two braids and who looked to be about six waved shyly. "And Saorise," he said, pronouncing her name seer-sha. The youngest girl with short hair who looked about two smiled.

"Bet you loved that, didn't you, Potter?" said a voice the girls had no trouble recognizing. They stood up and found themselves face to face with Draco Malfoy, who was wearing his usual sneer.

"_Famous _Tabitha and Matilda Potter, can't even go into a _bookshop _without making the front page."

"Leave them alone, they didn't want all that!" said Dubhlainn angrily, standing up and glaring at Malfoy.

"You two have got yourself a _boyfriend_!" laughed Malfoy. Dubhlainn went red as several people fought their way over; Ron, Hermione, Millie, and Aaric.

"Oh, it's you," said Millie, looking at Malfoy like he was something unpleasant on the bottom of her shoe.

"Bet you're surprised to see Tabitha and Matilda here, eh?" asked Ron.

"Not as surprised as I am to see you in a shop, Weasley," retorted Malfoy. "I suppose your parents will go hungry for a month to pay for all those." He added as Ginny walked forward, glaring at him and carrying, like Dubhlainn, a cauldron full of books.

Ron and Ginny both went scarlet. Ron dropped his books into Ginny's cauldron, and started toward Malfoy, but Tabitha, Matilda, and Aaric grabbed his jacket.

"Ron!" said Mr. Weasley, struggling over with Fred and George. "What are you doing? It's too crowded in here, let's go outside."

"Well, well, well – Arthur Weasley."

It was Mr. Malfoy. He stood with his hand on Draco's shoulder, sneering just the same way.

"Lucius." Said Mr. Weasley, nodding coldly.

"Busy time at the Ministry, I hear," Mr. Malfoy said. "All those raids…I hope they're paying you overtime."

He reached into Ginny's cauldron and extracted a slightly battered copy of _A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration. _The Weasley's had decided that, even with the anonymous donation, they should still buy most of their things at least slightly used, in order to spend it on more important things and to save up. None of the children had complained, grateful for just the new robes and happy to know that their parents' stress over money had vanished, but of course the Malfoys didn't see it that way.

"Obviously not," said Mr. Malfoy. "Dear me, what's the use of being a disgrace to the name of wizard if they don't even pay you well for it?"

Mr. Weasley flushed darker than Ron or Ginny.

"We have a very different idea of what disgraces the name of wizard, Malfoy." He said.

"Clearly," Mr. Malfoy said, his eyes straying to the Drs. Granger and Mrs. Moon, who were watching apprehensively. Mrs. Moon had pulled Aibhlinn, Teagan, and Saorise behind her nervously. "The company you keep, Weasley…and I thought your family could sink no lower–"

There was a thud of metal as Ginny's and Dubhlainn's cauldrons went flying; Mr. Weasley had thrown himself at Mr. Malfoy, knocking him backwards into a bookshelf. Dozens of heavy spell books came thundering down on all their heads; their was a yell of, "Get him, dad!" from Fred or George; Mrs. Weasley was shrieking, "No, Arthur, no!"; the crowd stampeded backwards, knocking more shelves over; "Gentlemen, please – please!" called the assistant, and then, louder than all –

"Break it up, there, gents, break it up–"

Hagrid was wading toward them through the sea of books. In an instant he had pulled Mr. Weasley and Mr. Malfoy apart. Mr. Weasley had a cut lip and Mr. Malfoy had been hit in the eye by an _Encyclopedia of Toadstools. _He was still holding Ginny's old Transfiguration book. Her thrust it at her, his eyes glittering with malice.

"Here, girl – take your book – it's the best your father can give you." Pulling himself out of Hagrid's grip he beckoned to Draco and swept from the shop.

"Yeh should've ignored him, Arthur," Hagrid said, almost lifting Mr. Weasley off his feet as he straightened his robes. "Rotten ter the core, the whole family, everyone knows that – no Malfoy's worth listenin' ter – bad blood, that's what it is. Come on now, let's get outta here."

The assistant looked as if he wanted to stop them leaving, but he barely came up to Hagrid's waist and seemed to think better of it. They hurried out into the street; the Grangers were shaking with fright and little Saorise was crying. Mrs. Weasley was beside herself with fury, and yelled at her husband for several minutes.

It was a subdued group that headed back to the Leaky Cauldron, where the twins, the Weasleys, Millie, Luna, and Aaric, and all their shopping would be Flooing back to the Burrow. The Moons and Grangers were of course leaving the Muggle way.

Tabitha, Matilda, Luna, Ron, Ginny, Aaric, and Millie said goodbye to Hermione, Dubhlainn and his sisters, telling the formers that they would see them at school in a few weeks.


	4. The Whomping Willow

Chapter 4: The Whomping Willow

The end of the summer came too fast for Tabitha's and Matilda's liking. Of course, they were excited to go back to Hogwarts, but their time at the Burrow had been the best of their lives. Since there were eight of them, Tabitha, Matilda, Ron, Ginny, Millie, Aaric, Fred, and George could play four on four Quidditch, with one Chaser, Keeper, Beater, and Seeker per team. They also helped de-gnome the garden a lot, played wizard board games, and even hide-and-seek – very hazardous in the Burrow, as it turned out.

At a return trip to Diagon Alley – there was another Gilderoy Lockhart signing that Mrs. Weasley wanted to go to – the twins saw something of interest in the apothecary: eye correcting potion. It was seven Galleons per bottle – which was one dose. The girls looked at each other, and then consulted their friends.

"What do you think?" asked Tabitha. "Should we do it?"

"I would," said Millie with a shrug. "But that's just me. I mean, think about Quidditch: they can get broken, fall off, get smudged…"

"And there goes the snitch," added Aaric.

Ginny and Ron nodded their agreement, so the girls paid for the potions.

As they drank a dose in unison and their eyes immediately cleared, the girls thought, _What can't magic do?_

On their last evening, Mrs. Weasley conjured up a scrumptious dinner than included all of the two twins' favorite things, ending with a mouthwatering treacle pudding. Fred and George rounded off the evening with a display of Filibuster fireworks; they filled the kitchen with red and blue stars that bounced from ceiling to wall for at least half an hour. Then it was time for a last mug of hot chocolate and bed.

It took a long while to get started next morning. They were up at dawn, but somehow they still seemed to have a great deal to do. Mrs. Weasley dashed about in a bad mood looking for spare socks and quills; people kept colliding on the stairs, half-dressed with bits of toast or sausage in their hands; Mr. Weasley nearly broke his neck tripping over a stray chicken as he carried Ginny's truck to the car.

Tabitha and Matilda couldn't see how eleven people, nine large trunks, three owls, two sloths, and a rat were going to fit into one small Ford Anglia. They had reckoned, of course, without the special features that Mr. Weasley had added.

"Not a word to Molly," he whispered to Tabitha and Matilda as he opened the boot and showed them how it had been magically expanded so that the luggage fit easily.

When at last they were all in the car, Mrs. Weasley glanced into the back seat where Ron, Aaric, Fred, George, and Percy were all sitting comfortably side by side, and said, "Muggles _do _know more than we give them credit for, don't they?" She, Ginny, Tabitha, Matilda, and Millie got into the front seat, which had been stretched so that it resembled a park bench. "I mean, you'd never know it was this roomy from the outside, would you?"

Mr. Weasley started up the engine and they trundled out of the yard, the two twins turning back for a last look at the house. They barely had time to wonder when they'd see it again when they were back – George had forgotten his box of Filibuster fireworks. Five minutes later, they skidded to a halt in the yard so that Fred could run in for his broomstick. Before he was even out, Aaric realized he had forgotten his Potions book. They had almost reached the highway when Ginny shrieked that she'd left her diary. By the time she had clambered back into the car, they were running very late, and tempers were high.

Mr. and Mrs. Weasley argued for a few minutes about flying to King's Cross, but Mrs. Weasley wouldn't hear of it.

They reached King's Cross at a quarter to eleven. Mr. Weasley dashed across the road to get trolleys for their trunks and they all hurried into the station.

"Percy first," Mrs. Weasley said, looking nervously at the clock overhead, which showed they only had five minutes.

Percy strode briskly forward and vanished. Mr. Weasley went next; Fred and George followed.

"I'll take Ginny and you five come right after us," Mrs. Weasley told Ron, Aaric, Millie, and the twins, grabbing Ginny's hand and setting off. In the blink of an eye, they were gone.

"Let's go in groups, we've only got a minute," Ron said to the others.

Tabitha, Matilda, and Millie made sure their cages and trunks were all wedged together tightly and wheeled their trolleys around. The two twins felt perfectly confident. The three of them bent low over the handles and walked purposely toward the barrier, gathering speed. A few feet away from it, they broke into a run and –

CRASH.

All three trolleys hit the barrier and bounced backwards; Millie's trunk fell off with a thump, Tabitha and Matilda were knocked of their feet. Loch's and Jack's cages burst open and they both toppled out, squeaking unhappily; Hedwig's cage bounced onto the floor and she rolled away, shrieking indignantly. People all around them stared and a nearby guard yelled, "What in the blazes d'you think you're doing?"

"Lost control of the trolley," gasped Matilda, clutching her ribs as she took the hand Aaric offered. Ron ran to pick up Hedwig, who was making such a ruckus that there was murmuring of cruelty to animals from the crowd.

"Why can't we get through?" Millie hissed to the others as they fixed the three trolleys.

"I dunno," said Ron, looking wildly around. A dozen or so curious people were still watching them.

"We're going to miss the train," Aaric said. "I don't understand why the gateways sealed itself…"

Tabitha looked up at the clock with a sickening feeling in the pit of her stomach.

Ten seconds….nine seconds…

Matilda wheeled her trolley around until it touched the brick and pushed as hard as she could. Nothing happened.

Three seconds….two seconds….one second…

"It's gone." Said Millie, sounding stunned.

"What if mum and dad can't get back through to us?" wondered Ron, "Have any of you got any Muggle money?"

Tabitha and Matilda gave hollow laughs. "The Dursleys never gave us pocket money, and we spent all we exchanged last year on some fancy cloths for a dinner party."

Millie pressed her ear to the barrier.

"Can't hear a thing," she said, "What're we going to do? I don't know how long it will take Mr. and Mrs. Weasley to get back to us."

They looked around. People were still staring at them, possibly because of Hedwig's continued screeching. Tabitha shushed her quickly, stroking her head with a finger and passing her a large treat.

"We'd better go and wait by the car," said Aaric, "We're attracting too much attention–"

"Aaric!" said Ron, his eyes gleaming. "The car!"

"What about it?"

"We can fly it to Hogwarts!"

"But I thought–"

"We're stuck right? And we've got to get to school, haven't we? And even underage wizards are allowed to use magic if it's a real emergency, section nineteen or something of the Restriction of Thingy–"

"But your mum and dad…" said Matilda, pushing against the barrier again in the vain hope that it would give way. "How will they get home?"

"They don't need the car!" Ron said impatiently. "They know how to Apparate! You know, just vanish and reappear at home! They only bother with Floo powder and the car because we're all underage and not allowed to Apparate yet…"

The twins feeling of panic suddenly turned to excitement.

"Can you fly it?" Matilda asked, and Millie and Aaric started to look excited as well.

"No problem," said Ron, wheeling his trolley around to face the exit. "C'mon, let's go. If we hurry we'll be able to follow the Hogwarts Express–"

Tabitha and Matilda allowed Loch and Jack to climb onto their shoulders, and then the four of them followed Ron out of the station and to the side road where the Ford was parked.

Ron unlocked the boot with a series of taps of his wand, and they pilled their trunks back, and Hedwig, Bem – Aaric's brown owl –, and Lucy, Millie's cat, into the back seat with Loch and Jack, before they all clambered into the front.

"Check that no one's watching," said Ron, starting the engine with another tap from his wand. Millie stuck her head out the window.

"Okay," she said.

Ron pressed a tiny silver button on the dashboard. The car around them vanished – and so did they. Tabitha and Matilda could feel the seat vibrating under them, feel their hands in their laps and the legs of the people next to them, but for all they could see, they had become a pair of eyeballs in a dingy street full of parked cars.

"Let's go," said Ron's voice from Tabitha's right.

The ground and the dirty buildings on either side fell away, dropping out of sight as the car rose; in seconds, the whole of London lay, smoky and glittering, beneath them.

But then there was a popping noise and the car, Tabitha, Matilda, Ron, Aaric, and Millie reappeared.

"Uh-oh," Ron said, jabbing at the Invisibility Booster. "It's faulty–"

Both Ron and Tabitha hit it at the same time. The car vanished, and then flickered back again.

"Hold on!" Ron yelled, and he slammed his foot on the accelerator; they shot into the low, woolly clouds and everything turned dull and foggy.

"Now what?" said Tabitha, blinking at the solid mass of cloud all around them.

"We need to see the train to know what direction to go in," Ron said.

"Dip back down again, quickly," said Aaric.

They dropped back beneath the clouds and all five of them twisted and turned in their seats, squinting at the ground.

"I can see it!" Matilda yelled. "Right ahead – there!"

The Hogwarts Express was streaking along below them like a scarlet snake.

"Due north," said Ron, checking the compass on the dashboard. "Okay, we'll just have to check on it every hour or so – hold on–"

Ron tilted the wheel, and they plunged back through the clouds.

"All we have to worry about now are airplanes." Aaric said.

The five children looked at each other, and burst out laughing.

On the way, they discovered a bag of candy, which they devoured happily, and checked every few hours on the train.

Several hours later, they wore nearly bored to tears. It was boiling in the car, and though they all took off their sweaters, their t-shirts were stuck to their backs. The candy had made them all very thirsty, and – being in a flying car and such – they had nothing to drink.

The next time they dipped through the clouds, Millie said, "Wait – where's the train?"

Spinning around in their seats and craning their necks, the five twelve year olds saw that something was indeed missing. There was a distinct lack of red steam engine beneath them.

"Way to go, Ron!" yelled Aaric, only half jokingly. "You lost the train!"

"Hey!" Ron started to retort, but Matilda cut him off.

"Never mind that, let's just follow the tracks until we see it." She said.

"Yeah, even if we don't, we'll still end up at Hogwarts eventually." Tabitha added.

So Ron aimed the Anglia down until they were hovering just over the tracks.

They rode comfortably for a few minutes, and then they all heard the sound of the train horn, as if from far away.

"We must be getting close!" said Millie happily, looking out the windshield.

The horn got louder.

"Wait…" said Aaric slowly.

Another whistle, even louder than before.

They looked at each other in horror. Ron was rather green. And, slowly, they turned…

_"Ahhhhh!"_ screamed five voices at once. The Hogwarts Express was right behind them.

Ron jerked the wheel sharply to the right, and the car flipped over the edge of the tracks – now going over a high rock bridge – and wobbled unsteadily back and forth. Ron tried desperately to straighten it as they climbed higher and higher. Every occupant of the car was still screaming, including the animals.

Then the front doors fell open

Millie toppled out the left side with a scream, followed by Aaric who just managed to grab her hand and hook his legs inside the car.

At the same moment, Tabitha fell into Ron, and they both fell out the driver's side door. Now Ron was barely holding on to the steering wheel, and Tabitha was hanging onto his legs.

"This is bad! Very bad!" screamed Millie.

Ron's hold on the steering wheel was causing them to spin in circles mid-air.

"Help!" yelled Ron.

"Matilda, do something!" cried her twin from below the car.

Matilda tried not to panic. She had to think of something before they all fell.

"I know!" she cried, jumping into the backseat and quickly dragging open her trunk and pulling out the Nimbus 2000 that she and Tabitha shared.

"Look out, Ron!" she said, and jumped over his head and out the window of the car.

The black-haired girl quickly fastened her legs around the broom and steered it over to her sister.

"Good idea, Mat." Tabitha said as she was pulled onto the broom, thereby freeing Ron so he could climb back up and steer the car properly.

After rescuing Millie and Aaric as well, Matilda put the broom back in the trunk, and they all sighed in unison, relieved.

"Well, that was fun." Said Aaric shakily.

For the next few hours, they all pretended not to hear the growing whines of the car. They pulled their uniforms on when it got chillier, and tried to ignore the way the windshield wipers were waving more and more feebly.

"Not far now," said Ron nervously, patting the dashboard.

A few minutes later, Millie shouted, "Look!"

Hogwarts was just visible in front of them.

Then the car lurched, shuddered, and began to lose speed.

"Come on," Ron said encouragingly to the car, "Nearly there, come on…"

The engine groaned, and jets of steam were coming from under the hood. The five passengers exchanged nervous looks.

Right as they were over the lake, the car gave a nasty wobble.

"Come on," said Ron, pressing his foot to the gas. The car shuddered, then the engine turned off.

"Not good." Millie deadpanned.

The nose of the car dropped. They were falling right at the castle wall.

The girls screamed, clutching each other tightly. Aaric had his eyes closed, and seemed to be muttering something – perhaps a prayer.

_"Nooooo!" _Ron yelled, swinging the wheel around.

They missed the wall by inches, and were soon skirting over the greenhouses, the vegetable patches, and loosing more altitude every second.

"Oh Merlin we're going to die!" Aaric, his eyes still closed tightly.

Ron let go of the wheel and pulled his wand out of his back pocket.

"STOP! STOP!" he yelled, hitting the dashboard with it. Nothing happened.

"WATCH OUT FOR THAT TREE!" Tabitha yelled, lunging over her sister for the wheel, but it was too late.

CRUNCH.

With an earsplitting bang, they hit the huge tree trunk and dropped to the ground with a heavy jolt. Steam was billowing out from under the crumpled hood; Hedwig, Lucy, and Bem were shrieking, Loch and Jack were squealing. A cut on Tabitha's forehead from where she had hit the now broken window was oozing blood; Matilda was cradling her wrist – she had caught herself against the dashboard and thought it was probably sprained. Aaric had also hit the windshield, and now had a large bump on his head.

Ron let out a groan, and the others turned to him.

"Are you okay?" asked Matilda urgently.

"My wand," said Ron in a shaky voice. "Look at my wand–"

It was broken almost in two, held together just barely by the shimmering unicorn hair. The twins thought he was lucky it wasn't a bone.

BANG.

Everyone jumped. Something had just hit the side of the car with the force of a bull, knocking them sideways into each other.

"What was that?" gasped Tabitha.

"What's happening?" moaned Millie.

Ron gasped, looking through the windshield, and the others followed his gaze just in time to see branches swinging all over, hitting the car from every angle. _The tree was attacking them._

"Aaargh!" Ron cried as another limb punched a dent into his door.

Aaric saw it a split second before it happened.

"Duck!" he yelled, and they all threw their arms up above their heads as tiny knuckle-like branches shattered the already cracked window, raining broken glass upon the five of them.

Suddenly the engine revved – the car was restarting!

_"Reverse!" _Matilda yelled, and the car shot backward. The tree was still trying to hit them; they could hear its roots creaking as it attempted to reach them and they sped out of range.

"That," panted Millie. "Was close. Again."

"Thanks, car," said Ron breathlessly.

But the car was done. With two sharp clicks, the doors opened and the car spit all four of them out. Loud thuds told them that the car was also ejecting their luggage. The three owl cages fell on the ground and burst open, and all three birds. flew off towards the Owlery with angry screeches. Jack and Loch landed next to them, as did Scabbers' cage.

Then, dented, scratched, and steaming, the car fled into the darkness.

"Come back!" Ron yelled desperately at it. "Dad'll kill me!"

"Can you _believe _our luck?" moaned Tabitha. "All the trees at Hogwarts, and we crashed into the one that hits back."

The tree was still flailing its branches threateningly.

"Come on," said Ron. "We'd better get up to the school…"

They dragged their trunks up the hill to the oak front doors. It was not the entrance they had expected when they decided to take the car.

"I think the feast's already started," said Millie, dropping her trunk on the steps and peering through a window. "You guys – look – it's the Sorting!"

They watched as the first-years filed into the hall, looking eagerly at their friends who were soon to be sorted: Ginny Weasley, easily spotted because of her red hair; Rafferty and Raleigh Evers, their copper hair shining as they waved to their sister, Morrissey, at the Ravenclaw table; Luna Lovegood, wearing her usual dreamy expression and twisting a strand of bright blonde hair around her finger; Lysander Dunstan and Dubhlainn Moon; Faith Burbage, and Sammy Capper…

Tabitha's and Matilda's eyes scanned the rest of the room quickly.

"Wait," said Matilda suddenly. "Where's Snape? He's not at the table…"

"Maybe he's ill!" said Tabitha hopefully.

"Or maybe he quit, because he didn't get the DADA job again," suggested Aaric.

"Or maybe they sacked him!" Ron said eagerly. "I mean, come on, everyone hates him–"

"Or maybe," said a cold voice behind them. "He's waiting to hear why you five didn't arrive on the school train."

They spun around. There, in his usual black robes, stood Severus Snape. He looked the same as always: thin, with sallow skin, a hooked nose, and greasy, shoulder-length black hair. He was smiling in a way that told the twins and their friends that they were in big trouble.

"Follow me," said Snape.

He led the five miserable children through the entrance hall, past the feast, and into the dungeons.

"In!" he said, opening a door and pointing.

Snape's office was filled with jars containing very disgusting things that they tried not to look at. Even though it was freezing in the dungeons at this time of night, the fireplace was empty.

"So," he said softly. "The train isn't good enough for the Twins-Who-Lived and their faithful sidekicks. Wanted to arrive with a _bang, _did we?"

"It was the barrier at King's Cross–" said Aaric bravely

"Silence!" said Snape coldly. "What have you done with the car?"

Ron gulped. This wasn't the first time Snape had given the two girls the impression of being able to read minds, but it was explained when Snape pulled out a newspaper.

"You were seen," he hissed, showing them the headline: _FLYING FORD ANGLIA MYSTIFIES MUGGLES._ He began to read: "'Two Muggles in London, convinced they saw an old car flying over the post office tower…at noon in Norfolk, Mrs. Hetty Bayliss, while hanging out her washing…Mr. Angus Fleet, of Peebles, reported to police…' Six or seven Muggles in all," he concluded. "I believe your father works in the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts Office, Mr. Weasley?" he said, looking at Ron and smiling nastily. "Dear, dear…his own son…"

The two twins felt like they'd been hit in the stomach by one of the mad tree's branches. If anyone found out that Mr. Weasley had bewitched the car…they hadn't thought of that…

"I noticed, in my search of the grounds, that considerable damage seems to have been done to a very valuable Whomping Willow," Snape went on.

"That tree did more damage to us!" cried Millie, demonstrating her arms, which had been cut in several places by stray glass, some quite deeply, and the others indicated their injuries as well.

_"Silence!" _snapped Snape again. "Most unfortunately, you are not in my House and the decision to expel you does not rest with me. I shall go and fetch the people who _do _have that happy power. Wait here."

The five children stared at each other, white-faced. No longer did they want to go back to the feast; they felt quite sick.

Ten minutes later, Snape returned, and sure enough, it was Professor McGonagall who accompanied them. The five Gryffindors had seen her angry on several occasions, but when she caught sight of them, it was as if the other moments had been happy picnics.

She pointed her wand at the fireplace, and flames erupted in it. When she turned back to them, though, her expression changed.

"What – what has happened to you five?" she demanded, taking in Tabitha's still bleeding head, Matilda's injured wrist – which was swelling rapidly – Aaric's large bruise, and Millie's and Ron's various scratches and bruises, some large and deep, others just superficial.

"Precisely," sneered Snape angrily. "These children–"

"Severus!" cried McGonagall angrily. "Have you not noticed that they are injured?"

This shocked everyone into silence for a moment.

"Well – yes," Snape admitted. "But it was only due to their own foolishness–"

_"Severus Snape!"_ admonished the other Professor angrily. "At least three of them have serious injuries, and all you can think about are _rules_?" Snape spluttered indignantly. Tabitha and Matilda wondered if they had entered an alternative universe. "Mr. MacDonald may have a concussion, Miss Potter's wrist is clearly broken, and Miss Potter is bleeding from her head!"

"Yes – well – I didn't think–"

"Obviously." Snapped McGonagall. "What are you waiting for? Go fetch Poppy!"

Snape fled from the room.

Tabitha, Matilda, Ron, Aaric, and Millie all starred at their Head of House, mouths open.

"Don't think you'll get away with anything!" she snapped, but not as harshly as before. "It is the job of your teachers to make sure you are safe first, and worry about disobedience later. Mr. MacDonald, come sit here. Are you dizzy at all?"

And so, after Madam Pomfrey had examined and healed them, they told their story to Professor McGonagall.

"– So we had no choice, Professor, we couldn't get on the train." Ended Millie.

"Why didn't you send us a letter by owl? I believe you have _three_ owls between you?" she looked at them sharply.

They gaped at her. Now that she said it, it seemed the obvious thing to have done.

"Or perhaps just wait for Mr. and Mrs. Weasley or another adult to come out, and explain to them?"

"We – we didn't think–" stammered Matilda.

"That," said Professor McGonagall. "Is obvious."

There was a knock on the door, and Snape – looking very much cheered up – opened it. There stood the headmaster, Albus Dumbledore. He was looking unusually grave.

There was a long silence. Then Dumbledore said, "Please explain why you did this."

It would have been better if he had shouted. The twins heard the disappointment in his voice, and told the story together, not looking at the bearded man. They mad it sound like they had happened upon the flying car, so Mr. Weasley might not get into trouble. They knew Dumbledore would see right through the lie, but he asked no questions about the car. When they had finished, he continued to stare at them through his half-moon spectacles.

"We'll go and get our stuff then," said Ron miserably.

"What are you talking about, Weasley?" barked Professor McGonagall.

"Well, you're expelling us aren't you?" asked Millie.

"Not today, Miss Bulstrode." Said Dumbledore. "But I must impress upon all of you the seriousness of what you have done. I will be writing to all your families tonight. I must also warn you that if you do anything like this again, I will have no choice but to expel you."

Snape looked as though Christmas had been canceled. He cleared his throat and said, "Professor Dumbledore, these children have flouted the Decrees for the Restriction of Underage Wizardry, causing serious damage to an old and valuable tree – surely acts of this nature–"

"It will be for Professor McGonagall to decide on their punishments," said Dumbledore calmly. He turned to McGonagall. "I must go back to the feast, Minerva, I've got to give out a few notices. Come, Severus, there's a delicious-looking custard tart I want to sample–"

And they were alone with Professor McGonagall.

"Could we go see the Sorting?" asked Ron immediately. "Just for a moment? My sister–"

"Ginny is also in Gryffindor." She told him calmly. "And you other friends – I suppose you want to know about them?" The five of them nodded. "Very well. Miss Lovegood, Mr. and Miss Evers, Miss Burbage, and Mr. Dunstan are in Ravenclaw. Mr. Moon and Mr. Capper are in Gryffindor." She paused. Then: "Speaking of Gryffindor–"

"Professor, when we took the car, term hadn't started yet. So – so Gryffindor shouldn't have points taken from it, should it?" said Matilda anxiously.

Professor McGonagall gave her a piercing look, but the black-haired girl was sure she had almost smiled.

"I will not take any points from Gryffindor," said McGonagall. They sighed in relief. "But you will all serve detention."

The Professor then conjured up sandwiches and pumpkin juice for them, told them to eat and then go straight to the Tower when they were done, and left.

As they devoured the food, Tabitha, Matilda, Ron, Millie, and Aaric wondered why they couldn't get through the barrier. When they had eaten as many sandwiches as they could – the plate kept refilling itself – they rose and left the office for Gryffindor Tower. The castle was quiet; the feast must have been over.

Finally, they reached the familiar portrait of the fat pink lady.

"Password?" she said as they approached.

"Er–" said Tabitha.

They didn't know the password, having not met a Gryffindor prefect yet, but help came almost immediately. They heard hurrying feet behind them and turned to see Hermione, Euterpe, and Neville dashing toward them.

_"There _you are!" cried Hermione. "Where have you _been_?"

"We heard rumors," said Euterpe, her dark brown hair bobbing. "Some ridiculous thing about you being expelled over crashing a _flying car–_"

"Well, we haven't been expelled." Aaric assured them.

"So you really did fly here?" gasped Neville, awestruck.

Hermione opened her mouth again, no doubt to use her 'Professor McGonagall voice' on them, but Ron said, "Hermione, skip the lecture, just tell us the new password!"

"It's 'wattlebird,'" she said impatiently. "But that's not the point–"

But the fat lady swung open and there was a sudden storm of clapping. It looked like the entire House was still awake, packed into the common room, standing on the tables and armchairs, waiting for them to arrive. Arms reached through the portrait hole, grabbing Tabitha, Matilda, Ron, Aaric, and Millie and pulling them through, leaving Hermione, Euterpe, and Neville to scramble in after.

"Brilliant!" yelled Lee Jordan. "Inspired! What an entrance! Flying a car right into the Whomping Willow, people'll be talking about that one for years–"

"Good for you," said a fifth year the twins had never spoken to. Someone was patting them on the back; Fred and George appeared and asked in unison, "Why couldn't we've come in the car, eh?". Ginny voiced her agreement to this, her arms crossed, but a smile on her face. Ron was red faced, grinning embarrassedly. Aaric was explaining the incident in detail to Dean, Seamus, Neville, Sammy, and Dubhlainn. Millie was giving a blow-by-blow account of the Whomping Willow's attack to anyone who would watch. Percy, however, didn't look very happy. Tabitha nudged Ron and pointed this out.

"Got to get upstairs – bit tired," said Aaric, and they all ran for the staircases, the twins and Millie going one way, Aaric and Ron the other.

Millie gave another account of the adventure to Lavender, Parvati, Hermione, and Euterpe – with some input from Tabitha and Matilda – and by the end, even Hermione was grinning.


End file.
